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Updated September 22, 2017 at 11:22 AM;Posted September 22, 2017 at 11:21 AM

Laura Starnik, left, as Ann, listens to her daughter, Lisa, as played by Lara Mielcarek, in a scene from Ensemble Theatre's 'Well.' 'Well' opens the Cleveland Heights' theater group's 38th season on Sept. 29.

Laura Starnik, left, as Ann, listens to her daughter, Lisa, as played by Lara Mielcarek, in a scene from Ensemble Theatre's 'Well.' 'Well' opens the Cleveland Heights' theater group's 38th season on Sept. 29.(Jeff Piorkowski/special to cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Ensemble Theatre kicks of its 38th season of professional stage presentations, a season titled "We the People," with a Sept. 29 production that truly is of the people.

The earthy, human story that is presented in the season's opening show, "Well," will likely be something a little different for audiences gathering at the 100-seat Ensemble Theatre in the Coventry PEACE Building, 2843 Washington Blvd.

"The joy of this show is that there's a freedom in not striving for a finished product and in having the wonderful concept of direct audience-to-audience connection that's as much a part of the show as its characters or actors," said one of the show's stars, Lara Mielcarek.

"(Audiences) are seeing a performance in the moment," she said. "A one-of-a-kind performance."

In other words, the actions of audience members will become a vital part of the performance before them.

Mielcarek plays Lisa, a former "solo performer" and a budding playwright. Not coincidentally, the play was written by writer, performer, artist Lisa Kron, who wrote the book and lyrics for the 2015 Tony-winning musical "Fun Home."

"She's a little bit neurotic," Mielcarek, a Lakewood actress, says of her character.

Lisa plays off the character, Ann, her mother, played by Laura Starnik.

The first line of the play is, "This is not a play about my mother and me." But, it soon becomes evident that it is, indeed, a play about Lisa and her mother.

While not always meaning to be funny, Ann is a character similar to one many audience members likely have known at one time or another.

"She's very physically debilitated," Starnik said of Ann. "She's always sick. She's been sick all her life."

It's not known if Ann suffers from a real or imagined illness. She's just tired and sick.

Explaining the humor that results from the sometimes dramatic, anxious interplay of mother and daughter, Starnik said, "It's human, and people are funny."

"Well," featuring a cast of six, will run from Sept. 29 to Oct. 22. It is the first of seven productions Ensemble will present through May.

Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1979 by Cosentino's mother, the late Lucia Colombi. It is now housed in the Coventry PEACE Building, a former school building recently sold by the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education to the city of Cleveland Heights.

The city is now discussing possible ways the building and its surrounding park property may be redeveloped.

"We (all of the building's 12 nonprofit tenants) have been guaranteed space in this building through June 30, 2018," Cosentino said.

The organizations, who would like to remain in the building, will make a presentation to the public about its future possible use at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 27 in the building.

While the future of Ensemble Theatre's space remains up in the air, Cosentino is certain about the quality of its first play of the season.

"Our new Associate Artisitic Director Tyler Whidden told me about 'Well' and we went to see it," Cosentino said. "It's funny, it's human and it breaks the fourth wall with the audience."

Then, taking a phrase from the character Lisa, Cosentino said of the play, "It's an avant garde meta theatrical exploration."

Tickets for Ensemble Theatre's production of "Well" cost $12-$25. Senior, student and group discounts are available. Tickets can be purchased at tickets@ensemble-theatre.org. Call 216-321-2930.

Performances will be presented at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Sundays. There will be no performance Oct. 7. An Industry Night performance will be given at 7 p.m. Oct. 9.

An opening night reception will be held after the production of Sept. 29 at The Bottle House Brewing Co., 2050 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, and will feature drink specials for Ensemble patrons.